Alleghany County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History - Books .....Alleghany County History From Historical Collections Of Virginia By Henry Howe 1845
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Alice Warner http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00015.html#0003503 March 29, 2008, 1:13 am

Book Title: Historical Collections Of Virginia By Henry Howe, 1845

Alleghany p. 172-173

Alleghany was formed in 1822, from Bath, Bottetourt, and Monroe. Its mean length
is twenty-six, mean breadth twenty miles. Most of this county is a high mountain
valley, drained by the head waters of the James. The mail Alleghany chain form
its boundary on the west; Peter's mountain and Warm Spring mountain divide the
county into two nearly equal parts, having only a narrow gap at Covington, and
Middle Mountain and Rich Patch form its southeastern boundary. The passage of
Jackson's River through Waite's mountain, is a sublime feature of the natural
scenery of the county. Population in 1830, 2,816; 1840, whites 2,142, slaves
547, free colored 60; total, 2,749.

Covington, the county-seat, lies one hundred and ninety-six miles west of
Richmond, at the head of the James River navigation, on Jackson's River, fifteen
above its confluence with the Cow-Pasture, both of which by their union
constitute the James. It contains, at present, about fifty dwellings. At some
future period, it is contemplated that the James River Canal will be continued
to here; in which case it will be the depot between the land and water
communication in the chain of the James River and Kanawha improvements, and will
then command the trade of a large and fertile region of country. Near Covington,
a fort, called Fort Young, was built in the early settlement of the country, as
a protection against the Indians.

Peter's Mountain derived its name from Peter Wright, a famous hunter at the time
of the first settlement, who was accustomed to hunt upon it. He resided near the
present site of Covington. Near the house of Mr. John Lewis, there is, on the
roadside, a large shelving rock, called Peter's Rock, where, says tradition, he
sought shelter in a snow storm. There he lay for several days, until the snow
was four feet deep, when he was obliged to eat his moccasins to prevent
starving. He at length discovered and shot a deer, which furnished him with
food. He left, at his death, two sons, both of whom emigrated to the west many
years since.

There was an eccentric female, who lived in this section of the country towards
the latter part of the last century. Her name was Ann Bailey. She was born in
Liverpool, and have been the wife of an English soldier. She generally went by
the cognomen of Mad Ann. During the wars with the Indians, she very often acted
as a messenger, and conveyed letters from the fort, at Covington, to Point
Pleasant. On these occasions she was mounted on a favorite horse of great
sagacity, and rode like a man, with a rifle over her shoulder, and a tomahawk
and a butcher's knife in her belt. At night she slept in the woods. Her custom
was to let her horse go free, and then walk some distance back on his trail, to
escape being discovered by the Indians. After the Indian wars she spent some
time in hunting. She pursued and shot deer and bears with the skill of a
backwoodsman. She was a short, shout woman, very masculine and coarse in her
appearance, and seldom or never wore a gown, but usually had on a petticoat,
with a man's coat over it, and buckskin breeches. The services she rendered in
the wars with the Indians, endeared her to the people. Mad Ann, and her black
pony Liverpool, were always welcome at every house. Often, she gathered the
honest, simple-hearted mountaineers around, and related her adventures and
trials, while the sympathetic tear would course down their cheeks. She was
profane, often became intoxicated, and could box with the skill of one of the
fancy. Mad Ann possessed considerable intelligence, and could read and write.
She died in Ohio many years since.

In 1764, a party of about fifty Indians came into this region, and then dividing
into two, one went towards the Roanoke and Catawba settlements, and the other in
the direction of Jackson's River, where each committed murders and depredations.
Captain Paul, who commanded at Fort Dinwiddie, went in pursuit of the latter
party, and accidentally came upon the other, about midnight, encamped on the New
River, at the mouth of Indian Creek. In an instant after firing upon them,
Captain Paul and his men rushed forward to secure the wounded and prevent
further escapes, as most of them had ran. One of the party raised his tomahawk
to strike, as he supposed, a squaw, who sat composedly awaiting the result. As
the tomahawk was descending, Captain Paul exclaiming: "It is a shame to hurt a
woman, even a squaw!" She proved to be Mrs. Catharine Gunn, and English woman,
an acquaintance of Captain Paul, taken prisoner on the Catawba a few days
before, when her husband and two children were killed. On being asked why she
had not made known she was a prisoner, by crying out, she replied: "I had as
soon be killed as not -- my husband is murdered -- my children are slain -- my
parents are dead. I have not a relation in America -- every thing dear to me
here is gone -- I have no wishes, no hopes, no fears -- I would not have risen
to my feet to have saved my life."

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